Caregiver Tips

Overview

Many people are caring for a chronically ill or
disabled spouse, parent, or other family member. Caregiving can be a rewarding
experience, especially when you know that your care makes a positive
difference. But caregiving can be difficult. There are three tips to being a
good caregiver:

Take care of yourself.

Don't help
too much. Let the person do as much as he or she can.

Ask for
help.

This topic will tell you more about these tips and how they
can help both you and the person you are caring for.

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Caregiver Tip No. 1: Take Care of Yourself

Taking
care of yourself is your most important step as a caregiver. Caregiving can be stressful, even in the best of situations.

But when caregivers take time to care for themselves, good
things usually happen:

They stay healthier.

They feel
better about themselves.

They have more energy and enthusiasm and
can keep giving care.

Here are some important things you need to find time
to do—just for yourself:

Take a class on caregiving.
You will meet other caregivers and learn new ways to deal with challenging situations.
To find classes in your area, contact the Family Caregiver Alliance (www.caregiver.org).

Get some exercise. You may feel better and
sleep better if you exercise. One way is to be active in blocks of 10 minutes
or more throughout your day and week. Experts say to aim for at least 2½ hours
of
moderate activity a week.footnote 1

Eat healthy meals and snacks. When you are busy
giving care, it may seem easier to eat fast food than to prepare healthy meals.
But healthy meals are easy to prepare, and
healthy eating will give you more energy to carry you
through each day.

Get enough sleep. If you are not getting enough
sleep at night, take a nap during the day. Plan to get at least one full
night's rest each week.

Make time for an activity you
enjoy—reading, listening to music, painting or doing crafts, playing an
instrument—even if you can only do it for a few minutes a day. If you like to
go to church activities or take classes, ask a friend or family member to stay
with your loved one for an hour or two one or two times a week so you can do
those things.

Get regular medical checkups. This includes dental
checkups. Even if you have always been healthy, you need to stay healthy. Know
about the signs of
depression, and watch for them not only in the person
you are caring for but also in yourself. If you have feelings of lingering
sadness or hopelessness, talk with your doctor. For more information, see the
topic
Depression.

Caregiver Tip No. 2: Don't Help Too Much

Even if
they don't admit it, people like to help themselves. Every time you do
something for a person that the person could have done without help, there is a
double loss. First, your effort may have been wasted. Second, the person has
missed an opportunity to help himself or herself.

As a caregiver,
your highest goal is to give the person you are caring for the power and the
permission to be in control of his or her own life (as much as possible). Every
act your loved one makes to maintain independence is a victory for you as a
caregiver.

Here are some things you can do to empower the person
you are caring for to do things independently:

Let the person make as many decisions as
possible. For example, let the person decide what to wear, what to eat, or when
to go to bed. Help him or her keep as much control as
possible.

Simplify. For example, if you are caring for a person who
has mild
dementia, divide complex tasks into simpler steps for
him or her: First, get out the cereal box. Next, get out the milk and the bowl,
and so forth.

Make it easy. One of the most productive things a caregiver
can do is to make changes in the person's home and provide tools that will
allow the person to do things without help.

Allow for mistakes and
less-than-perfect results. The hardest thing about letting someone do something
without help is knowing that you could do it better or faster. Mistakes are
okay.

Reward both the effort and the result. Help the person feel
good about doing things on his or her own.

Give the person
responsibility to care for something. Studies show that nursing home residents
who are asked to care for pets or plants live longer and become more
independent.

Match tasks with abilities. Identify the person's
skills, and try to match them with tasks that the person can do on his or her
own. If you aren't sure what tasks are reasonable, talk with the person's doctor.

Caregiver Tip No. 3: Ask for Help

The best answer to
the question, "Is there anything you need?" is "Yes."

"Yes, I
need someone to stay here so I can go out." Or "Yes, I could really use a nap."
Letting others help can make your caregiving easier. Know where to find help
when you need it. The more support you have, the more successful you are likely
to be.

When family or friends offer to lend a hand, be ready with
specific ideas. Let them pick something they would like to do. For example, you
could ask them to:

Pick up a few items at the grocery store.

Fix a meal
or do some cleaning or yard work.

Stay with the person you care for
so you can go out for a while.

There are other ways to find support. For example:

Hire a teenager or older adult to help for a few hours a
day.

Find a grocery store that delivers.

Hire a home
health aide or personal care assistant.

Sign up for homemaker or
chore services or "Meals on Wheels."

Services that may be useful to caregivers include the
following:

Respite care may be the most
important service for caregivers. Respite services provide someone who will
stay with the person while you get out of the house for a few hours. If the
person you are caring for needs routine medical care, you may be able to
arrange to have the person stay in a nursing home for a few days while you get
away for a break.

Adult day centers are
"drop-off" sites where a person who does not need individual supervision can
stay during the day. This service is usually offered during working hours and
may or may not be available on weekends. Meals, personal care services, and
social activities are provided.

Nursing homes generally have two levels of care.
Intermediate care includes assistance with using the toilet, dressing, and
personal care for people who do not have serious medical conditions. Skilled
nursing care is usually for people who have just come from the hospital or for
others who have medical conditions that require more intensive nursing care.
Some facilities have special units for people with dementia.

Hospice programs provide social, personal, and medical
services for terminally ill people who wish to spend their remaining time at
home or in an environment less formal than a hospital or nursing home.

Support groups give you a chance to discuss
problems or concerns about caregiving with other caregivers.

To
learn whether these services are available in your community, look under
"Senior Citizen Services" in the Yellow Pages.

Take Pride

Take pride in your efforts. Being a
caregiver is not easy, and those who do it are special. Following the tips for
caregiving can help you feel good about yourself and the care you provide.
Remember:

Take care of yourself by exercising regularly,
getting proper rest and nutrition, and having regular medical checkups. Taking
care of yourself includes taking time off to take part in pleasant, nurturing
activities.

Help the person you care for to be as independent as
possible.

Recognize when you need extra help, and accept support
from others. A helping hand at the right time can make all the
difference.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.